# TV show COPS and need for consent **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 6, 2014, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-cops-and-need-for-consent/685458 "2014-04-06T03:42:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![EmAnJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@EmAnJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmAnJ)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2014, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-cops-and-need-for-consent/685458/1 "2014-04-06T03:42:39Z")
The hubby and I are watching COPS and wonder if/how they gain consent to show the (purported) criminals faces. Is there some way around this for the show, or do all the criminals sign a consent form to be on the show? ---
**Author:** ![PurpleClogs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f04885/32.png) [@PurpleClogs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PurpleClogs)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2014, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-cops-and-need-for-consent/685458/2 "2014-04-06T03:49:42Z")
I’ve wondered that same thing. Some are so unflattering! I would be mortified being seen! Although some seem so out of touch they’d probably brag about it. ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2014, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-cops-and-need-for-consent/685458/3 "2014-04-06T04:15:48Z")
I’m going to move this to CS. ---
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2014, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-cops-and-need-for-consent/685458/4 "2014-04-06T05:42:12Z")
> [@](#): > > In the early days of the series, many of the perp’s faces were blurred. Folks were unfamiliar with the show and were wary of appearing on camera. However, once COPS became a hit, over 90% of the arrestees signed release forms. 5 things you didn’t know about COPS. > **[Mental Floss](https://www.mentalfloss.com/?id=19326)** > > Test your knowledge with amazing and interesting facts, trivia, quizzes, and brain teaser games on MentalFloss.com. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2014, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-cops-and-need-for-consent/685458/5 "2014-04-06T06:03:17Z")
> [@Accidental\_Martyr](#): > > 5 things you didn’t know about COPS. > [Mental Floss](http://mentalfloss.com/article.php?id=19326#) The article doesn’t mention (perhaps the writer didn’t consider it a little-known fact) that _COPS_ (and indeed all reality television of the early 1990s) was spurred in part by the writer’s strike of 1988. ---
**Author:** ![Mdcastle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/958977/32.png) [@Mdcastle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mdcastle)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2014, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-cops-and-need-for-consent/685458/6 "2014-04-06T22:20:18Z")
Someone involved in COPS did an AMA on Reddit a while back. The line they normally use is “If you sign this waiver we can allow you to use the footage to help your case”.